Fence-wire stretcher.



J. R. LOCKE.

FENCE WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 190B.

91 5,686. Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

. 91x5: ZZM

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. LOCKE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOltTO WILLIAM T. BOYLES, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

7 FENCE-WIRE STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application filed June 8, 1908. Serial No. 437,357.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. LooKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Fence-Wire Stretchers; and do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to wire stretchers, and particularly to that type which stretch sin 1e strands.

5 he ob 'ect of the invention is to provide a simple, 0 ea and eflicient device of this character, W 'ch may be conveniently handled, and which will be rapid and thorough in its operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of t e device, Fi 2 is a top plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is an e ovation of the wire ratchet removed from the wrench.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the wrench with the ratchet removed, and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the ratchet.

will first describe the structure and purpose of the ratchet and then proceed to describe the structure and operation of the wrench in connection therewith.

The ratchet consists of a circular disk 1, having its edge cut away to form teeth 2, which are curved u ap roximately vertical.

The center of the isk 1s apertured at 3 and partially surroundin the aperture is a split collar 4, in two circu ar parts 5 and 6. This ratchet is adapted to be engaged with the wire by passing the wire through the opening between the two upstanding parts 5 and 6 of the collar 4 and operating the ratchet in a direction opposite to the direction of extension of the teeth. When the wire has attained a sufficient degree of tightness it is to slip ed between the notches formed by the tact and held in such osition.

In order to accomplis the result just described for the ratchet 1 I provide a novel wrench which forms a part of the device.

This wrench comprises a base plate 7 to which is secured an operating lever 8, of any desired construction. Extending transversely from the base plate is a circular lug 9, having a longitudinally extendin ear or rib on either side thereof, whic is shouldered at 11, so as to make the diameter of the lug and the ear to correspond with the circumference of the split collar 4. The enlarged part of the ear below the shoulder 11 enters an extension of the aperture 3 formed in the ratchet, and the lug is slotted transversely at 12 so that when in position in the collar the slot extends diagonally across the o ening between the members 5 and 6, as

s 1own in Fig. 2 in which the connection of the wrench with the ratchet may be plainly seen.

In the operation of the device the lug is inserted in the aperture between the members 5 and 6 of the ratchet with the fence wire seated in the slot 12 and between the members 5 and 6. The Wrench is now turned so as to wrap the wire around the collar and the lug, and when sufficient tightness has been obtained the wire is engaged with one of the claw-shaped teeth of the ratchet so as to hold the device in position thereon. The lever may then be withdrawn and if it is desired to remove the ratchet from the fence, the loop thus formed may be wrapped and the ratchet removed by disengaging the teeth from the wire and slipping the loop off the collar. As the ratchets are not expensive it is best to leave them on so that the wire can be tightened at any subsequent time. n From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation. at, Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended we claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A wire stretcher comprising a flat disk 10.; having an upturned toothed peripheral edge, a centrally split tubular hub integral with and extending upwardly from the ase and means for operating said disk which comprises a lever, a plate secured to said lever, in;

a split plug extending upwa irdly from said my l1 and in pgesence of two subscribing plate, a pair of lugs ext'endmgfrom cliametricwitnesses.

all Y opposite sides of said plu to en a e the together with 'longitudin a l =ribs o said 5 plug, one on each half to engage the edges of said split hub.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set JAMES R.

itnesses:

lVA M. DIUKMAN, ALLEN O. MCDONALD. 

